Monday, June 6, 2011

Visual effects supervisor John Dykstra has set up his first feature film directing gig called Super Zero, which is an adaptation of the comic book Essex Country: Tales from the Farm. Dykstra most recently worked on the film X-Men: First Class, which was a pretty incredible movie for those of you who haven't seen it yet.

Tales of the Farm was created by Jeff Lemire, and was adapted into screenplay form by John Carr. The film will be shot live action, but will include heavy special effects sequences. The story is described as being edgy, but family-friendly. The story follows an orphaned 10-year-old who goes to live on a farm with his uncle. As their relationship grows strained, he befriends the town's gas station owner, a former pro hockey player, and the pair escape into a private fantasy world of superheroes and alien invaders.

The comic book has won several awards and according to Variety "the producers' plan is to "make a big splash at ComicCon, where Lemire and the publisher, Top Shelf Productions, will make an appearance." Producers will be making a very hard push over the next few weeks, which will include casting announcements as well as financing and distribution commitments. After that a package will be sent out to the studios.

Dykstra also worked on the original Star Wars film, Spider-Man 2, and was a producer on the original 1978 Battlestar Galatica series. Here's what he had to say in a statement,

I've been so involved in films that are primarily based on the action sequences and over-the-top visuals that this to me was incredibly attractive just based on the depth of the characters and the evocative nature of the story.

This sounds like it could to out to be a very fun sci-fi movie. Here's a description of the story from the comic book:

Xeric-Award-winning cartoonist Jeff Lemire (Lost Dogs) illustrates the tale of Lester, an orphaned 10-year-old who goes to live on his Uncle's farm. Their relationship grows increasingly strained and Lester befriends the town's gas station owner, and damaged former hockey star Jimmy Lebeuf. The two escape into a private fantasy world of super-heroes, alien invaders and good old-fashioned pond Hockey. Tales from the Farm is the first volume in a trilogy of graphic novels set in a fictionalized version of Lemire's hometown of Essex County, Ontario.